White
I love white. It represents purity, it’s clean, bright and fresh. If you pay attention to color design trends, white has been a top color choice for both Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore as their “Color of the Year.” In 2016, Alabaster was the Sherwin-Williams COTY and Simply White was Benjamin Moore’s Top Color.
White on walls as the main color creates the perfect backdrop for pops of color in accents in both furniture, fabrics and other accessories. White on trim and cabinets is my favorite way to contrast against wall color and add some freshness to a space.

Bright white kitchen with gray and black accents. Photo by Naomi Hébert on Unsplash.
So, if you have been following my Color Wheel feature color posts lately, you may have noticed that I have been highlighting several different white paint colors. In light of this, I thought it would be beneficial to have one cohesive post detailing my top tried and true white paint colors by Sherwin-Williams.
Whites can be tricky. It’s easy to look at a sample paint swatch with 7 different “whites” staring you in the face and then all of a sudden they all blur together and look exactly the same. “How do I even begin to find the right one for my space?” you may be asking.

Sherwin-Williams paint deck with the new and updated White & Pastel section.
Undertones Explained
If you have spent some time researching paint colors or read any of my feature color posts, you have most likely heard of “undertones” in paint colors. Well, it’s a real thing. It’s not just some technical term designers have come up with! Colors that have been mixed into varying shades for wall paint, have a certain main color or “undertone” that shows up most prominently when painted. The same is true with whites. For the sake of simplicity, I will start with my go-to “true” white and then outline the best cool whites, greige whites and warm whites.
Hi Luly,
I am a huge fan of using Extra White on cabinets and it would go perfectly with Incredible White. Keep me posted on your progress and let me know how everything turns out!
Thanks so much,
Laura
I love extra white too, but on my new kitchen cabinets, I’m chickening out and using Pure White.
I understand! Pure White is a tiny bit warmer than Extra White. 🙂
How do you like the pure white on your cabinets? I am trying to decide if I want to go with pure white. Thanks!
Great post, Laura. I think High Reflective White is also a ‘true white.’ And would you categorize Marshmallow as a greige white? What about Pearly White and Toque White, are the lighter versions of Alabaster and Marshmallow?
Thank you for reaching out! I didn’t categorize High Reflective White as a “true white” because it can have a very sligh blue-ish undertone at times. Extra White is my go-to baseline for a true white to categorize the other whites and off-whites. Marshmallow is closer to the warmer whites, more of a beige-white versus a greige-white, which is actually what Toque White is. Toque White is very close to Incredible White. Pearly White is actually close to Greek Villa, with a bit more saturation than Alabaster (and Greek Villa), but is still a warmer off-white.
I hope that all makes sense! Ha! Whites can be tricky, so let me know if you do need help finding the right one for your space.
Thanks again for reaching out,
Laura
Love the light fixture in the alabaster picture. Where are they from??
Hi Cassie,
Follow the link on the picture…it should be listed on the website! Thanks so much!
Laura
I just painted my living room Shoji White as well as my fireplace brick. The walls look great, but the brick looks much whiter. Is there a shade up from Shoji White that I could paint my fireplace , so it will not look so stark?
Hi Cindy,
Yes, great question! One shade up from Shoji White is Worldly Gray. Try that out to see if that helps!
Thanks so much,
Laura
Hi Laura,
You have so much great info on wall paint colors but I am still unsure what trim color to use. I am using SW antique white and kilim beige on the walls in a new build. What trim color would work best with those wall colors? I do like warmer tones but I’m worried warm tones for trim might look dingy and dirty.
Thank You
Hi Lori,
I totally understand! Check out a few of the warmer whites in the post. Alabaster is one that won’t get too dingy or yellow, but is not as stark and bright as Extra White. Let me know if you still need help finding the right color through a Color Consultation!
Thanks for reaching out,
Laura
You didn’t mention Sherwin Williams ‘Pure White”. I would love to hear your opinion on it. I’m about to use it for custom kitchen cabinets. I almost went with Extra White, but I was afraid it would look too stark.
Hi Faye,
Yes, Pure White is a tiny bit warmer than Extra White. Really, it is very close to Alabaster, but lighter. Extra White is pretty stark, so you were wise with going with Pure White if you wanted something softer. Let me know how it turns out! Would love to see the finished results. 🙂
Thanks for reaching out,
Laura
Thank you so much your ideas, I was able to chose my kitchen cabinet color Greek Villa.
Hi Sue,
You are so welcome! That makes me happy to know that it was a help you you. 🙂 Send me some pictures when your project is complete!
Thanks so much,
Laura
This is incredibly helpful! I’m curious where High Reflective White fits into the groups you described. thanks!
Hi Marie,
Thanks so much! I consider High Reflective White a super bright white. So super bright white, in fact, that is can have a slight blue undertone. I know many people that like HRW on their ceilings. I prefer Extra White as my bright white go-to without any strange undertones. I hope that helps!
Thanks for reaching out,
Laura
Hi Julia- I am in similar situation and considering aesthetic white for walls… what did you decide as your final and any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Hi Stacy,
Aesthetic White would actually be a great choice! Test out a sample first and see how it looks with all of your selections. Let me know if you need further help deciding on a color!
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
Hi Julia,
It sounds like a warm and light “greige” would work well with your scheme. The griege will compliment the warmer creamy/beige tones, while still tying into the grays that you would like to incorporate. If you need further help, I would love for you to be able to send me pictures via an a Color Consultation!
Thanks for reaching out,
Laura
Hi Alison,
Great question! I typically like to match the white or off-white trim/cabinet color to the ceilings if possible. That being said, if you have a space that doesn’t get as much natural light or has a lower ceiling height, I like Extra White for a bright white to really open up the space!
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
Hi Amy,
Thank you so much! Yes, you can actually have a white on the walls with a creamier trim. There are also several soft off-white beige colors that can work with Antique White. Keep me posted on everything and let me know if you need help to find the right color through a Color Consultation!
Thanks so much,
Laura
We’re considering using Fresco Cream or Beach House (SW) on our walls. We have popcorn ceilings that we can’t afford to remove, so what white would work best on the trim and ceiling (to hopefully draw attention away from the ceiling)? We have very warm natural white oak floors (kind of honey colored – warm, but not too yellow) and we have maple praline cabinets with gray quartz countertops. Any advice you can lend is greatly appreciated!
Thank you so much for writing this; it’s very informative and helpful.
We are in the midst of an exterior repaint and 50% of the way through I realized we made a big mistake by going too dark, so now looking for a white and this post of yours helps me understand our options much better. Thanks again.
Hi J.D.,
I’m so glad that the post was helpful and that you are now feeling equipped to find the right color for your exterior. Keep me posted on the progress!
Thank you, Laura
Thank you for your thoughtful and creative posts. I read you mentioned “alabaster” may be too bright for an exterior and although I like the color a lot – I think you’re right. What other whites or off whites would you recommend for a south facing home? I’m wanting to go outside and not be blinded by the light. Thank you!
Hi Heather,
Thank you!! I enjoyed writing this post so much and I’m happy to know that it has been helpful. Yes, Alabaster gets pretty light on exteriors. I would look for an off white like Canvas Tan. Depending on whether you want to go cooler or warmer, Accessible Beige or Agreeable Gray get lighter on exteriors, but still have some color to them. Accessible Beige is warmer while Agreeable Gray is more gray/cooler. Start with Canvas Tan and see how it looks first. Let me know if I can help you find the right exterior color through and Exterior Color Consultation. It also helps to see your other fixed elements on your exterior to make the best color choice.
I look forward to hearing from you, Laura
Hi I Have always had wonderful results with Ben Moore Intense White!!!
Hi Angela
Thanks for the response!
Unfortunately the builder has limited paint choices. The greys available are SW repose grey, SW agreeable grey and SW anew grey. Since my cabinets are SW shell white I’m still in a dilemma!
Do I go for all shell white for my walls, ceiling, trim or do I go for a lighter greige color like SW agreeable grey for the walls? Would SW shell white in the interior of my home make it look too yellow?
Would greatly appreciate any insight!
Thanks
*Comment moderated by John
Shell white definitely has creamy yellow undertones. SWAgreeabe Gray is a gray with beige undertones. Accessible beige is a beige with a gray undertone. I feel your anxiety in making a decision, but at the end of the day…it’s just paint !!!
Hi, if i’m going to use Snowbound on the walls (previously pine) would Extra White or Pure White be a better option for trim and ceiling. There is a lot of natural light and I’m trying to avoid the blue-white look?
Thanks.
Hi Meghan,
Great question! Snowbound is a beautiful white for walls. As far as the trim and ceilings go, Extra White is my go-to for a bright white. I have Extra White in my own home and it is a true white with no weird undertones. Pure white is a good white, but is not quite as bright and true as Extra White.
So, to answer your question, I would go with Extra White ceilings and trim paired with Snowbound on the walls for the best look! The fun part of having white walls and trim is that the accent color options are endless! Have fun with colors and keep me posted on your finished results.
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
We painted our kitchen (western facing) Alabaster, and it is very yellow. We love the color on the swatch, but don’t think it will work in this space. Any recommendations that wouldn’t give off a yellow hue? I have read this post a million times and I appreciate your effort and any advice. It was disappointing that Alabaster, the color everyone raves about, didn’t work for us. Thanks!
Hi Matt,
I’m so sorry that you have been disappointed with Alabaster. West-facing rooms do get an afternoon warm glow from the sun that can cast a yellow light on wall colors. Snowbound would be a good white to consider. It has a cooler undertone than Alabaster and might do just the trick in your kitchen.
Test out a peel and stick paint sample first to see how it looks in your space. Let me know how it goes and if you need further help, I can offer my assistance through a Color Consultation.
Thanks so much for reaching out,
Laura
I’m updating walls in an efficiency unit. Cabinets and loft bed are dark walnut, granite is light brown, floor tiles are marbled beige and grey, trim is bright white, we’re going to put in backsplash tile which matches very closely to Toque White or Heron Plume. Light is from north, south and east in that order. We’re in Florida, so want to keep things feeling cool. Trying to decide between Eider White, Incredible White, Toque White or Heron Plume. I like the Eider White because it has a hint of purple that tones it down. I don’t think I want to go into darker colors with more contrast. May use same color in main house which has white cabinets and grey and amethyst granite countertops, same floor and trim. Tough choice!